Vincent's Girl -2-
by xaltanat.daimaou
Summary: 3 years after Jenn (Jenova) is apparently killed by a thunderbolt, a girl enters Tifa's tavern and has everybody wondering about her true identity. Inserted lyrics from song "Here with me" from Sara Brightman's album "La Luna" because I thought it set the mood for the story. Hope you like it :) Disclaimer: I do not own the Final Fantasy characters or the song


**VINCENT'S GIRL II**

(FINAL FANTASY 7.6)

_*I didn't hear you leave._

_I wonder how am I still here;_

_I don't want to move a thing,_

_It might change my memory.*_

A woman entered Seventh Heaven's tavern. She had shoulder length auburn hair and wore faded blue jeans, a navy blue t-shirt and dark sunglasses.

She walked straight up to Tifa, followed by the stares of the men in the place.

"Hi, there! May I have a juice please?" she asked.

"Sure!" Said Tifa with a smile as she filled a glass and put it before the young woman.

The man next to her lifted his empty beer mug and called the bar lady.

"Gimme another one, Pretty Thing!"

"Don't call me pretty thing!" Tifa huffed.

"You are even prettier when you are angry" he said smiling, as he lighted his cigarette.

Tifa rolled her eyes and took the guy's mug to refill it.

"You are lucky that Cloud's not around." She said as she put the full mug back in front of him him.

The woman with the sunglasses continued to sip her juice in silence.

People came in and people went out. But the woman didn't speak or move, even when she had finished her drink a long while ago.

Tifa kept looking at her from the corner of her eye. She had never seen her before, but there was something strange about her.

"Are you going to have anything else?" Tifa asked her at last.

"No, thanks." The woman replied.

"Well, here's your bill, whenever you are ready." The bar lady informed.

"I don't have money." The other said.

"Then, how do you think you are going to pay?" Tifa asked.

"I was hoping to work for you" Was the other woman's relaxed reply.

"I don't need help, thank you" Tifa said a bit annoyed.

"Somebody told me that you had a girl helping you, but she had gone away. I was hoping to fill in for her" The auburn haired woman explained.

"That was a long time ago. I'm not hiring right now, I'm sorry" Tifa said flatly.

"I've made a great journey" the other went on "I'm willing to work very hard. "

A memory ran across Tifa's mind. She remembered a girl with long silver hair in the same predicament. A sudden sadness took over her.

"Please, give me an opportunity. You won't regret it." The woman insisted eagerly.

Tifa sighed. "You don't have to pay your drink" she said looking away and continued to pick some empty glasses "But I can't hire you. I don't need any help at the bar for now. I'm really sorry."

The woman with auburn hair stood up.

"Oh, c'mon pretty thing! Give her a chance! She is really cute." The man with the cigarette said, looking dreamily at the newcomer.

"Don't call me pretty thing!" Tifa huffed again, miffed.

"Well, I guess I have to go. Thank you very much" the woman said. She turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at Tifa.

"Would you by any chance know where can I find a man called Vincent?"

"Vincent?" Tifa froze for a moment "How do you know him?"

"I'm an old acquaintance. He once told me that he had friends in this city and I was hoping to meet him again."

"He doesn't live in Edge." Tifa said saddening again "He used to wander around here, but I ignore his whereabouts nowadays."

"That ol' sunnuvagun only came to see his girlfriend… lucky guy." The man interrupted again, puffing rings of smoke.

The woman thanked them and continued to the exit.

"Wait" called Tifa "This will sound strange, but could you please take your sunglasses off?"

The woman stopped and turned around, to face the approaching Tifa.

"Sure" she and took the glasses off, revealing pleasant gray eyes. "Is there something wrong?"

Tifa still had the strange feeling of knowing the woman somehow, but the memory it awoke was too saddening.

"Excuse me but, have we met before?" Tifa ventured.

"I don't think so" the woman said.

"You seem familiar" Tifa gave a step closer to her, a mixed feeling of hope and fear churning in her stomach. Hope over seeing again her dead friend, and fear of loosing her again. But Tifa knew her silver-haired friend couldn't be standing before her pretending not to know her. Besides, she had seen her being struck by a powerful thunderbolt.

"I look like a lot of people. I have a very common face, but I'm easily forgotten." The other woman smiled calmly.

"What did you say your name was?" Tifa asked her, still hoping, still fearing.

"Oh, sorry I didn't mention it. My name is Terry"

Tifa thought for a moment, hope crumbling inside her and fears vanishing. She just looked a lot like her dead friend. But that was enough to make Tifa change her mind and decide to accept this woman, as she had accepted her other friend time ago.

"I think I could use some help after all" Tifa told Terry as a strong déja-vu feeling ran thru her "you may stay and work for me."

"I really appreciate it. You have saved my life!" Terry exclaimed happily "When do I start?"

"How about tomorrow?" Tifa suggested, taken aback by the woman's eagerness.

"Or, how about right away?" Terry replied walking past her.

"But, I have to tell you how the bar works and how to…" The bar lady didn't have a chance to finish the phrase; Terry was already behind the counter.

"I used to work at a tavern for a very good friend of mine. I have some experience, I won't disappoint you, you'll see!" Terry said as she took a rag to clean the counter.

As Terry had said, she didn't disappoint Tifa at all. Tifa was quite surprised at how Terry managed the people and took the orders as if she had been working at the tavern for a long time.

She chatted easily with the customers and only turned to Tifa to ask where the things were. She didn't have to instruct the new girl.

She couldn't explain why, but she felt comfortable around Terry. She hadn't experienced that easy going feeling in three long years, since the time when the girl with the silver hair was around.

Of course she had accepted that Jenn was dead and she was never going to see her again. She had to move on, as Cloud had finally done. He and Tifa were now in a relationship and they were very happy.

But still, Tifa's happiness wasn't complete when she thought about their lovelorn friend, Vincent.

He had showed up at the bar about a year after Jenn's death and had been visiting her and Cloud at the bar regularly. He had even helped when Cloud and Tifa moved into a new building along with Denzel and Marlene.

Tifa had refused to move the bar and now thought of renting the spare rooms on top of her tavern, but she was very picky about people and the rooms remained unnoccupied.

Cloud still worked as a delivery boy, but he didn't go on errands for days without end as he used to. He was less grouchy and smiled more often.

But Vincent… he became more distant after a time and then stopped showing up. He never answered his phone, so Tifa was relieved when he returned her calls from time to time, to know if everybody was doing fine, but there was always something in Vincent's voice that bothered her.

She had tried to convince him to move into Edge with them. She had even offered him one of the spare rooms at the bar, but he always refused.

He could be anyplace and it worried her not seeing him at all. He never spoke about his feelings or about that day. He had fortified the barrier around his heart about a hundred times. Still, Tifa could feel a tremendous sorrow over the cold telephone line and the monotone of his voice.

"But now" she thought "maybe this old acquaintance of him could cheer him up a little; take him out of his shell, just like Cloud finally moved on."

_Oh, I am what I am_

_I'll do what I want_

_But I can't hide*_

Four months breezed by. Terry got one of the spare rooms on top of the tavern and she demonstrated to Tifa that she was trustworthy and hard working. The two women became good friends in little time.

Cloud was happy with the idea of Tifa having Terry's help around the place.

He even volunteered to give Terry a tour around the city and the three of them, along with the children often went out together.

Marlene and Denzel were also delighted with Terry because she liked to join in their games and helped them when they played pranks on Cloud.

Girl talk was something Tifa couldn't speak with Cloud, so she enjoyed her time at the bar with Terry even more.

Old customers came back and new ones added Seventh Heaven's bar to their favorite places to go.

"It's great having you here, Terry." Tifa told her one day. "Makes me remember a lot of the days a good friend of mine worked here."

"Oh, you mean the girl that quit?" Terry asked.

"Well, she just had to go away" Tifa sounded sad again, as she did every time Jenn or Vincent were mentioned in their conversations "I couldn't make her stay"

"I can tell you two were very good friends" Terry said softly.

"Yes. I miss her a lot sometimes, but I guess she couldn't find her place here. I like to think she is at home and happy." Tifa smiled sadly, turning away to clean some glasses.

"Yes. She is at home, and she's happy" Terry whispered thoughtfully to herself, looking at Tifa.

"Mind if I ask you how did you meet Vincent?" Tifa asked to change the subject.

"Oh! It was a long time ago! I bet he doesn't remember me anymore; as I said, I'm easily forgotten" Terry laughed "He used to go to the place I worked in before."

"You mean at the other tavern? That doesn't sound like our Vincent. He doesn't like crowds and as far as I know, he's not a drinker." The bar lady said, confused.

"Tall man with a ragged cloak, black hair and red eyes?" Terry asked.

"Well, I don't think many people who would fit that description. But it's hard to believe it. I guess there is more to him than I know." Tifa said thoughtfully.

"I hope he's doing all right." Terry said.

"He's fine, it's just that…" Tifa didn't finish.

Some customers called Terry from a table and the two ladies were too busy to keep on with their talk.

Just then, one of their regular clients came in.

"Hey, Pretty Thing! Hello there, Cutie Pie!" he greeted Tifa and Terry. He came in with his relaxed walking and dropped his rear end down on a stool before the counter, his cigarette hanging from his mouth.

Terry laughed as Tifa huffed at the newcomer. "Don't call us those names!"

"How am I supposed to call you if I can't honor your beauty?" he asked, obviously enjoying Tifa's chagrin.

"We have proper names, you know" Tifa remarked.

"You won't get a free drink and you know it" Terry told him as Tifa took a tray with drinks to a table.

"You are mean, Cutie Pie" He said as he lighted another cigarette with the one he was just finishing "at least you don't have a jealous boyfriend like 'Pretty Thing' over there." He motioned towards Tifa "His boyfriend is quite touchy."

"Who says I don't have a boyfriend?" Terry teased.

"Well, I think I've got a good chance here, now that the chap in red is not around to ruin everything." He said playfully.

"You mean Vincent?" Terry asked and gave him a mug of beer.

"Oh, let's don't speak about him. That sunnuva gun got my girl! She was a beauty… long silver hair, always smiling, and that body… wow! Those curves! What a pity when she quit" The man moved his head and chugged down half his beer. Terry was surprised at how the man spoke about Jenn. He must've known her pretty well; still he didn't seem to relate Jenn to her as she knew Tifa did.

"Oh! So you are saying I'm not as pretty as she was?" Terry said pretending to be jealous.

He almost choked. "No! No! I didn't mean that, Cutie Pie! You are gorgeous, I mean it! You are even prettier than she was!" he smiled at her.

"Go on and maybe you'll get the free drink" She said.

The man laughed. "I tell you, you are beautiful! If you were my girl I would take good care of you, love you and cherish you..."

"You better stop smoking and drinking like that or you won't live long enough to do half of that" Terry interrupted him.

The man laughed even more. "You got me cutie pie. My excesses are like a time bomb tied to my butt! I guess it wouldn't be like that if I had a wife to stare me down just as that ol' buster did to anybody who looked at his girl." He laughed.

"Have you seen him lately?" Terry asked.

"Oh, c'mon! Forget about that weird fellow. He can't even afford a new cloak."

"You are losing your free drink…" Terry chanted.

"Sheesh! Why do you want to know about him? That rusty gun always gets the pretty girl!" The man whined as he drank again from his mug and continued. "He was around when his girlfriend worked here. When she dumped him and left -and I think he deserved it- he didn't show up for a long time. About a year. Then he came back. Always gloomy, with his head stuck down that high collar of his like a damn turtle. He came from time to time and then finally packed and went away, about eight months ago."

"Have you heard anything about him?" Terry asked, concerned.

"Hey, why so interested? I'm way better that him!" the man protested.

Tifa came back with a tray full of empty glasses and it was Terry's turn to take drinks to the tables.

When she came back Tifa asked her, "Did you tell that annoying bug that he could have a free drink?"

"I'm sorry; I bet to him he couldn't drink and smoke at the same time, but he did it. I'll pay his drink from my tips."

Tifa laughed. "Don't worry about that; just don't tell me you like him! He's not worth it!"

"I just like when he says we are the prettiest girls in town" Terry smiled.

"He would say that to a mop if you put a skirt on it." Tifa rolled her eyes.

"I won't give him any more free drinks, Tifa." Terry promised.

"Forget about it. The guy's annoying, but I secretly enjoy being nasty to him" Tifa confessed. The two women chuckled.

"I don't think she could've survived that explosion!" Reno said.

"I never forget a face" Rude assured "Besides, she is now with Cloud and Tifa; we know they sheltered her before."

The two agents took a quick peek thru a window. Terry and Tifa were busy around the people in the tavern.

"We have to tell the boss" Reno said and turned to go.

"You are not telling anything yet!" Rude grabbed the back of Reno's collar and yanked him back.

"We'll be in trouble if he finds out we are keeping information from him!" Reno cried.

"It could also be somebody who just looks like her" Rude said "Besides, her hair and eyes are different."

"She dyed her hair and put contacts on" The red head explained matter of factly.

"We have to make sure it's her before doing anything" His partner replied "We both saw how the lightning struck her and everything exploded. It's impossible to survive to that, even if she is Jenova."

"Guess we'll have to check it out. Would you like to go for a drink, buddy?" Reno asked with a smile.

"Ok, but it's your treat because it's your idea" The bald man said and turned, walking away before Reno could react.

"Hey!" the red head called after his friend.

_I won't go._

_I won't sleep._

_I can't breathe…_

_Until you are resting here with me._

_I won't leave._

_I can't hide._

_I cannot be…_

_Until you are resting here with me.*_

Finally the bar closed after a specially busy day. Terry was finishing cleaning the glasses when Tifa's cell phone rang.

"Hello?" she paused "I can't hear you very well, wait a sec."

Tifa walked to the back, concentrating on the voice at the other end of the line.

"I hear you better now. Oh! Vincent! What a great surprise!" Terry heard her say.

"Everybody is doing fine; Cloud is trying to teach Denzel to ride his motorcycle. Can you believe that? Thank God Denzel can't reach the pedals yet!" Tifa laughed.

Terry kept cleaning glasses, listening carefully.

"Yes, that's our Cloud. But tell me, how have you been? We haven't seen you in an awfully long time! Where in the world are you?"

Tifa listened for a few seconds. She got a very short answer if she got a straight one at all, because she sighed, upset.

"Why don't you just come back with us, Vincent?" she asked softly. Then she tried changing the subject to something lighter "You know, I have a new girl working here. She says she knows you and she would like to meet you again…

She made another short silence and then went on answering Vincent's questions.

"Terry…"

"Well, she said that you probably wouldn't remember her. Maybe you'll do if you see her again… "

"Auburn hair, gray eyes, she's pretty you should come and…"

She was interrupted.

"Oh! Vincent! Don't you be such a stubborn grouch!" she scolded him.

Terry started cleaning tables as she inched her way closer to where Tifa was.

"Vincent, I think you should come to visit us and meet your forgotten friend… oh, there's just one thing about her…" Tifa lowered her voice "she reminds me so much about Jenn… if it weren't for her hair and eyes I would swear…"

Vincent interrupted her again, because Tifa held her breath.

"That is great! When would you get here?" she made a pause.

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean? Vincent? Hello?"

Tifa stomped back to where Terry was. She was so angry that she didn't notice Terry jerking up straight as she was almost caught eavesdropping.

"I can't believe he hung up on me!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Who? Cloud?" Terry asked innocently, moving to clean another table.

"No. Our brooding friend Vincent just called." The other woman answered.

"Vincent? That's good news! How is he?" Terry continued to clean the counter as Tifa sat down on a chair, her anger turning to sadness.

"Fine, I guess. He never says much." Tifa thought for a moment "He said he doesn't know you."

"I told you. I'm easy to be forgotten." Terry answered.

"I don't think you are easy to be forgotten; he immediately said he would come when I said that you…" Tifa held her words.

"That I what?" asked Terry with an innocent smile.

Tifa couldn't say 'that you are just like Jenn'; so she quickly made something up.

"…that you wanted to see him again! So, he's coming very soon. He didn't say when, but he'll get a lecture for hanging up on me!" The bar lady finished.

It was late afternoon. Tifa raised her eyebrows when she recognized the two men entering the bar.

One of them was a tall, dark skinned, bald man with dark sunglasses. He was dressed in an impeccable black suit, white shirt and black tie. He made quite a contrast with his companion: a thin, pale skinned young man with red hair styled in wild spikes held back by his googles. He wore his unbuttoned black coat over an un-tucked wrinkled white shirt. He didn't even bother to wear a tie. They were total opposites in style, yet partners in grit and grime.

They walked up to the counter and sat before the bar lady.

"Rude! Reno! What a surprise!" Tifa greeted them.

"Hey, yo! How's business goin'?" Reno asked in his peculiar way of speaking.

"Pretty well, what are you guys doing here?" she asked, still surprised by her unexpected new customers.

"Oh, nothing really" Rude answered pushing his sunglasses back into place "we just decided to try a new place and have a drink."

Tifa eyed them. They were bad liars.

"You two are after something" she smiled after she had put two glasses of Corel liquor before them.

"Do we really show it that much?" Reno asked her dumbly.

Rude hit his partner's ribs with his elbow.

"What did I say?" the other complained, rubbing his side.

"Tell me guys… what are two Turks doing in my bar?"

"Nothing, nothing" they both said, uneasy in their seats, looking more suspicious than before.

She put both her hands down on the counter and leaned, fixing her almond gaze on them.

Rude sipped his drink facing sideways, while Reno nervously looked from Tifa to his drink, to Rude and back at Tifa.

"All right, all right!" Reno exclaimed at last, defeated by the brunette's stare.

Tifa smiled smugly and stood with her arms crossed "So?"

Rude sighed and growled at Reno "what an agent you are…"

"We heard about the new girl…" Reno explained to Tifa giving her a sheepish look "so we, I mean, Rude said he thought she was very pretty and that he wanted to meet her."

Rude choked and turned to glare at Reno, gritting his teeth. "Reno!" he snarled.

Tifa laughed, amused "Rude! Don't tell me you are looking for a girlfriend!"

The man was speechless. He put his glass down and shifted uneasily on his seat, blushing slightly while Reno tried to contain his own laughter.

Tifa uncrossed her arms "You fellows are really something" she moved her head "I'll call her and introduce her to you."

"Hey! No, wait! I… we just…" Rude tried to stop Tifa, but she had already stepped away to call her friend.

Reno was chuckling merrily. His partner kicked him, annoyed.

"What was that about?" Rude growled, lowering his voice.

"We wanted to see the girl, didn't we?" Reno whispered, rubbing his shin where Rude had just kicked him.

"That was a stupid thing to do! She will recognize us!" His partner hissed.

"That will work. We'll know it's her if she does." Reno winked at him.

"It's a stupid idea! And I'm not looking for a girlfriend!" Rude said, straightening his tie and coat.

"Oh, don't worry, yo! Are you afraid she don't like bald men?"

"You little…" Rude couldn't finish his sentence.

"I want to introduce you to a couple of friends" they heard Tifa say.

Both men looked expectantly as Tifa returned, followed by a slender , pretty, young woman with auburn hair and smiling gray eyes.

"Hello!" the woman said to them "My name is Terry, pleased to meet you."

They sprung from their seats and introduced themselves, shaking the woman's hand as they did so.

"I'm Reno."

"I'm called Rude."

She smiled at them "I hadn't seen you before. Are you new to the city?"

They looked at each other. The lady before them didn't show any signs of recognizing them.

"No, we just are new to the bar." Rude said.

"My friend here thinks you are very pretty," Reno went on "he's looking for a girlfriend."

Rude blushed again while Reno clearly enjoyed his friend's embarrassment. Terry and Tifa laughed.

"Well…" Terry smiled at them mischievously "I think bald men are sexy"

Rude's mouth gaped as his face turned beet red "It was nice to meet you, but we have to go back on duty" He stammered and quickly turned to leave.

"Hey Rude! Wait for me!" called Reno.

"Don't think you are getting away without paying!" Tifa stopped Reno.

The young red head paid for their drinks and winked at the ladies before rushing out after his partner.

"Terry! What things you say!" Tifa exclaimed laughing when the two men had exited the bar.

The other woman laughed as well. "They seem to be nice guys. Who are they?"

"They're Turks, I mean, Shin-Ra agents. They are nice fellows; they just work for the wrong boss" Tifa returned to her chores "That was bold, but it was very funny!" she laughed.

Terry laughed again and returned to the customers. "I hope I didn't scare them away!" But inwardly, she wondered how the Turks knew about her being back in the tavern and hoped they didn't return.

"You are a dead man!" Rude exploded "What was your idea saying those things to embarrass me!"

"Come on, yo!" Reno motioned for his friend to calm down "Can't you take a little joke?"

"No!" Rude growled angrily.

"Well, she said you are sexy..." Reno gave him a look.

Rude lifted a menacing fist at his partner.

"Calm down! Calm down!" Reno exclaimed, stepping away from his angry friend, shielding his head with his arms. "We both saw the babe's face perfectly, didn't we?"

Rude inhaled deeply, finally managing to cool and thinking about what really mattered.

"Yes. It's the same face and complexion. But she looked somehow different. Besides, she didn't seem to recognize us." Rude said thoughtfully.

"Her hair is not dyed. I looked at the roots." Reno said.

"And she is not wearing contacts" Rude added.

"How can you tell? Can you see thru those dark glasses of yours?" Reno cocked his head and looked at him narrowing his eyes.

"I can tell the difference" Rude remarked disregarding his partner's question "That's her natural eye color"

"It can't be our girl then." Reno concluded.

"But put silver hair and slitted blue eyes on her and she is Jenova." Rude insisted.

"Do you think we should tell the boss anyway?" asked Reno.

"She is either a regular girl or a great actress" Rude said "We still have to find out which one is it"

"What are you thinking, buddy?" Reno said, already expecting some action.

"That we'd have to make her show her power" Rude suggested.

"All right, we'll wait until the bar closes. Tifa goes home with Cloud and the children, but the girl stays at the bar, alone." Reno said, the plan already forming in his mind.

"That's too hasty and risky" Rude argued "she would wipe us out in a blink if she is Jenova. Remember the terrible power she has."

"Then what do we do? Go and say: hey, yo! Ain't you Jenova's genetic copy?"

Rude walked ahead, followed by Reno.

"Let me think of something. We have to proceed carefully" Rude told him.

Reno was thoughtful for a moment. "Do we have to 'proceed' at all, buddy?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" the other man stopped.

"Well, if she really is our babe she has a lot of guts to come back. I could say she really wants to be with her friends and all and well, I wouldn't like to be in a glass tube like a germ. Besides, the boss hasn't recovered from last time. What would he do if he knew that the one who toasted him is back in town?" Reno asked.

Rude was both thoughtful and surprised at his partner's sudden display of sympathy and consideration.

"Well, we did help them out last time" he replied "but as you said, if the boss finds out we kept this from him we'll be in big trouble."

"I don't think the girl would give herself away… if she really wants to live here again… or if she really is Jenova." Reno replied.

Rude was having a hard time deciding what to do.

"I really don't want this madness to start again, either. I hope for our well being that you are right, Reno." Rude said at last.

"And…" Reno chanted teasingly "she said you are sexy".

"Shut up" the other muttered.

_I don't want to call my friends,_

_They might wake me from this dream._

_And I can't leave this bed,_

_Risk forgetting all that's been.*_

His heart pounded as he set foot at the entrance of The Seventh Heaven's bar. He had waited for three long years, following the dimming light of hope among his unending darkness. He had roamed about many places, near and far, hoping to find her along the way, or at least a clue that could tell him if she was fine. But she had practically vanished from the face of the Earth.

Then Tifa said that somebody who looked like Jenn was at her tavern. It had been almost impossible to believe; it was so… easy.

But his doubts assaulted him again: 'what if it's not Jenn?'

Tifa had said that her name was Terry and that her hair and eyes were different. Maybe it was just somebody who looked liked Jenn. He would soon find out.

His steps had already taken him halfway across the bar. He ignored the offensive smell of liquor and beer and looked around.

Tifa was talking to some people at a table and another woman was filling beer mugs at the counter, her back turned to him.

He felt drawn to her. He had to see her face, Jenn's face, or his new found hope would come crashing down.

He had just taken one more step when he heard his name being called. He winced at the sound.

"Vincent!" Tifa came briskly to him "At long last! I'm so glad to see you again! My, you haven't been sleeping well, have you?" she inspected what was visible of his face.

"It's nice to see you too, Tifa" he said in a neutral tone and turned again to look at the other girl.

She had turned around and was standing with the mugs in her hands, looking straight at him, still as a statue.

Vincent's heart beat so hard it threatened to make him dizzy. She had clearly recognized him.

"What was your idea hanging up on me the other day?" Tifa accused him.

"I'm sorry" he said, without even looking at her. He walked up to the other woman, leaving an annoyed Tifa behind.

Vincent approached the auburn haired woman without taking his eyes of her for a moment. He didn't even turn when a male voice nearby muttered, 'Oh, boy. Here comes superman, red cape and all…'

The woman recovered motion and put the liquor mugs in front of the men at the counter.

She looked different; but her features were the same; He was the only one who knew she was still alive. He was the only one bearing the painful hope. He wanted to see Jenn again with all his heart. And now, here she was. Was she for real?

Tifa walked up to them and the woman averted her eyes from him, that peculiar spark of hers suddenly gone.

"So, now do you know who she is?" Tifa asked him.

"Hi, it's me, Terry. Do you remember me?" she asked, looking up at him.

He was surprised to hear Jenn introduce herself as somebody else.

"Terry?" he repeated.

"Yes! Do you remember me?" she started "we met in Ayalond…"

"I've never been in Ayalond" he interrupted in his usual low monotone.

Tifa listened with interest.

"Oh, yes you've been! I remember you perfectly." Terry became nervous "You told me about your friends here in Edge and…"

"I'm sorry" he interrupted again. He was so angry with himself. His mind was probably playing tricks on him. The woman before him was just like Jenn, yet, she was different. He saw Jenn's likeness because that's what he wanted to see. That was all, was it?

"I thought you were somebody else" He muttered and turned to leave. Better make an escape now, before his crashing feelings betrayed him.

"Why are you leaving so soon?" Tifa asked.

"Do you remember the flowers?" Terry hurried to ask.

Vincent stopped as if he had encountered a brick wall. Was she referring to flower field he took Jenn to? She didn't have any reason to pretend to be someone else, unless she didn't want them to know who she was. But why return to the bar where people could easily recognize her?

"I think I do remember something about Ayalond." He said turning to her again. He was straining to keep his composure, but he decided to follow the game and see where it led him.

"I told you you'd remember if you saw her again" Tifa said smiling "so, how did you two meet?"

"In Ayalond" Vincent answered, showing no emotion, almost nailing Terry with his intense red gaze.

"I've never heard about such a place." Tifa stated, frowning.

"It's a very small town. You'd probably miss it if you walked by" Terry laughed.

"I remember the flowers" Vincent said to Terry. She smiled and nodded, her eyes lighted up as she held his gaze without trouble "A good quiet place to be alone and think."

Vincent's heart skipped a beat. He was now sure it was Jenn; nobody else would be able to quote his own words that day long ago. But there were still many questions in his mind, this game made him uneasy, but he had to go on with it.

"It is really nice to walk among those flowers at night." Terry continued.

Vincent looked into her gray eyes and recognized that peculiar spark in them. He was able to read those orbs easily as an open book, as he used to do back then.

"They will be probably blooming under tonight's full moon" he added, taking the hint. His gaze softened and he looked at her longingly.

"Yes" she breathed out with a sweet smile.

"Hey, guys… mind if you explain a little more for me?" Tifa piped in.

"Vincent stayed for a few days in Ayalond a long time ago…" Terry hurried to say "there was a garden of flowers that bloomed only under the moonlight"

"You'll never see flowers like that anyplace else" Vincent said, still gazing at Terry.

Terry continued smiling, a soft blush creeping over her ivory cheeks.

Tifa eyed them. There was something very strange about their conversation.

"It was good seeing you again. But I have to go now." He hurried to say, feeling his heart in his throat. If he stayed longer, he wouldn't be able to contain himself anymore.

Terry nodded "It's good to see you again" she sighed.

"But you just got here!" Tifa exclaimed.

"I'll come by some other time" He said and in a few long strides he was out of the bar.

"He sure is acting strange." Tifa said to Terry.

"Always alone with only his thoughts" Terry answered, still smiling dreamly.

"That's our Vincent" Tifa commented "Hmmm… was there something between you two?" she gave Terry a look.

Terry was taken aback. She blushed deeper and laughed nervously. "No! Of course not! I'm just an old acquaintance. I'm surprised he remembered about me after all."

"He always gets the girl" a male voice next to them interrupted "Don't pay attention to him, Cutie Pie. He was dumped for a reason, I tell you."

Terry smiled at the customer who was always teasing them, thankful that his comment had given her a break from Tifa's questions.

Tifa turned and huffed at him.

"You are the one getting dumped out of my tavern if you don't stop calling us names!" – she warned.

Customers came and went. The hours slowly dragged by as Terry's excitement grew. It was hard to hide his nervousness.

Had Vincent understood her message?

The bar finally closed around three in the morning. Tifa said goodbye and went home with Cloud on his motorcycle, Marlene and Denzel were already asleep at their new place. Meanwhile, Terry locked the doors and went to bed. Or so she pretended to do.

As soon as she couldn't hear Cloud's motorcycle anymore, she slipped out the bar and ran like the wind across the city along deserted streets.

She reached the city limits and kept running, she had always been a fast runner. Faster than normal.

The full moon was still bright and high in the sky, throwing ghostly shadows over the earth.

She reached the flower field. All the flowers had closed their petals and slept. There was no wind, so everything looked still as if it were a painting made with different shades of silver and gray.

She walked among the flowers. The night was cool and the grass was fresh with dew. Terry found herself alone.

"Maybe I understood wrong…" she thought.

"Is it really you?" she heard somebody asking from behind her.

She turned, surprised by the man's sudden appearance.

It was like a dream. They were both there, two ghostly shadows in a gray garden.

"Vincent!" she ran to him and threw herself in his arms.

The man held her tight, afraid that she might vanish if he loosened his hold on her.

"Jenn… you are back." He whispered, rather to reassure himself.

"Yes, it's me. I'm here at last!" She replied in a hushed cry.

They remained embraced in silence for a long while, taking in each other's presence.

"You can't imagine how hard was to see you at the bar and not be able to run to you. I've missed you so much, Vincent!" She whispered against his chest.

"Why did you say you were somebody else, and how did you change your hair and eyes?" he asked puzzled.

"You could say it's my natural color" she smiled pulling away just enough to face him.

"How's that possible?" He inquired, analyzing her features, trying to find something fake, like dye or contact lenses, but found none.

"Let's sit down, my dear friend, as we did back then in the woods and I'll tell you everything."

So, Jenn and Vincent sat down in the middle of the flower field, facing each other.

"I'll start from the beginning" she said "when Jenova came to the Earth"

He looked surprised, but didn't say anything.

Jenn began the story.

"I was not a calamity from the sky. I remember some of it now. A great part of my genetic memory has come back in these three years.

"I still can't remember where I came from. All I see when I try to remember are vast, windswept emerald fields, a sky so blue I want to fall up into it and mountains afar, calling me in a silent voice, so strongly that makes my heart break. But I fell out from my world, somehow; like a shooting star, I was thrust into the void.

When I woke up in your world, I was found by the people of Shin-Ra and they conducted terrible experiments on me. They tore my body, used machines to control a force they found whithin me. My pain seemed unendurable at times; my rage grew and they dared use me to create others like me.

Whatever force they found in me, can connect to the life of your planet. My despair, anger and hatred contaminated me and it leaked into your planet's Life Stream and to the people.

Sephiroth's hatred and rage was mine. Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz were feeling the same thing because I had contaminated the Life Stream.

I suffered until Sephiroth destroyed me. I was grateful to him, for ending my pain. But also I cried for his fate, for he was my blood. I called after all of them, for having been condemned to be forever cursed. That was what they insisted on calling their 'Reunion'.

"For years I felt their pain and was tormented by my genetic memory and all the things they did. Until I brought myself to understand that I had to leave everything in the past, for I cannot change a single second of what happened. As I let go, the power that flared furiously, began to receede. My hair gradually turned to a normal color and my eyes changed as well. My spirit was finally finding peace.

"I realized I had a new chance at life that the original Jenova never had and that Sephiroth and Kadaj rejected. My mother and all of you showed me that even if I'm a monster, I choose what to do with what I am."

She paused.

"You can't imagine how grateful I am to you for helping me, knowing what I am… but I will forever carry the sin of turning into an aberration and unleashing so much destruction."

"Don't burden yourself with sins." He said gloomily "I carry my own; I know how a sin can destroy you. So don't hold that against yourself, it will bring you too much grief. You said it just now. You choose what to do with what you are."

He truly meant it. He didn't want to see Jenn buried under a sin, it pained him to see her hurting in any way.

"Vincent, you are not a monster like me, you don't carry such a terrible stigma... you are a beautiful soul."

"I carry a horrible sin within me. I understand perfectly what you went through" he confessed, forcing himself to spit the words out.

"What are you saying?" she asked, confused.

"I don't like to talk about this. But it's only fair that you know who I really am."

It was now Vincent's turn to open his heart and pour out his sins at last, his pain and terrible past; that had corroded him like acid almost his entire life.

"I was once part of the Turks, Shin-Ra's hit men, a gunslinger. I took part in their operations, which included espionage, kidnapping and assassinating.

When they started the Jenova experiments, I was assigned to supervise the labs. My father died in an accident there. I couldn't do anything to help him. Then, the scientist who experimented with you, Professor Hojo, took from me a person I held very dear. Her name is Lucrecia. He used her as a test subject; but not only that, he used their unborn child as well, creating Sephiroth. I couldn't stand to see her suffer the ill effects of the experiments and I had a fight with Hojo because of all this. He shot me down and took my near dead body for his experiments as well."

"When I finally awoke, I found that I had been turned into a monster. The experiments caused my body to be able to turn into bizarre beasts, and I house Chaos within me. I am a demon, an aberration. Above all this, I couldn't find Lucrecia anywhere. I know she was treated with Jenova cells, so she doesn't age, she is suffering somewhere out there. I was unable to save her and that weighs on me like nothing else. I lost the two people I loved most and I was incapable of saving them.

"I couldn't bear my terrible sin and I confined myself inside a coffin at Shin-Ra's Mansion for thirty years, until Cloud found me. I joined AVALANCHE looking forward to see Lucrecia again, but I never found a trace that led me to her.

I've carried this burden for a long time, my body forever stuck at the age of twenty seven, due to the experiments"

His head hung down, he felt revulsion for all he had said.

"So, you see. I know what it is to be a monster." He spat.

After a pause, he forced himself to look at Jenn's shocked face and asked, "Do you still think I deserve to be loved after what happened? Do you think I deserve to live when the people I loved suffered so much because I didn't do anything? When I am no more than a beast that should've never been created?"

Vincent's voice was low, but edged with venom. Jenn could feel the seething anger boiling inside him, against his own self.

She suddenly realized how badly wounded Vincent was. He was broken, his life shattered, his spirit giving out. He just continued to live because he was unable to die.

She was heartbroken to see him show his pain. He appeared as a strong, emotionless man, but he was crumbling inside. He had been always by her side, but nobody had been by his side when he needed it.

She drew closer to him and gently stroked his hair out of his face and held his face between her hands. She looked into the pools of blood that were his eyes, right into his tortured soul.

"You are a beautiful soul" She whispered.

"I don't want pity" he said in a low growl.

"Now I see why you always understood" she said "You have endured so much, I feel ashamed of thinking that there was nothing worse than being Jenova; while you kept all this in silence. We are linked by the same events; we are ageless monsters, housing destruction within our bodies. Our lives mean death.

But if you hadn't slept for thirty years I would've never met you. If I hadn't met you, I would be dead by now, or worse yet; I would be in Shin-Ra's hands. You saved my life! I had the strenght to move on because of you… that should count for something."

He stared at her, taking in her words.

"We cannot undo our past, or change what we are. It is not our fault having become like this, we can only learn to live with it. We have friends to live for; we have been given another chance at life and it would be a sin to let it go" she hesitated for a moment and then drew nearer to kiss him on the cheek and embraced him.

They are only two love birds on a date!" Reno said as he and Rude spied them with night vision binoculars from the roof of a building.

"But don't you think it's strange that Vincent came back as soon as that girl appeared in Edge?" Rude asked.

"Yeah. Well, let's say it's her… but…" Reno sighed.

"But what?" Rude turned to his partner.

"They love each other, man! We don't need binoculars to see that!" Reno exclaimed "And Vincent…" he gestured with his hand – "like, you know what I mean, yo."

"I know" said Rude "They've been through a lot already."

"Who's been through a lot?" asked a third man.

Rude and Reno turned in surprise. Another agent stood behind them. They were so concentrated on the couple that they hadn't noticed him sneaking up on them.

"Tseng!" they exclaimed in unison.

"Don't tell me that you two are spying on a couple of lovers." He said, narrowing his black eyes "I didn't know you could be so perverted."

The two partners looked at each other, trying to make up something that would get them out of their predicament.

"You are excellent agents" Tseng said "you just guided us to Jenova. The boss will be very pleased. On the other hand… you are terrible liars."

"Tseng! Wait!" Rude called.

But the man had turned and was walking away.

"Tseng! We do not know if it's her. The boss will be really mad if we give a false alarm" Rude told him. But the man didn't stop.

"The girl just looks like Jenova. But she is a regular gal!" Reno said "She wouldn't be here if she didn't want to be recognized. Don't you think it's totally crazy?"

Tseng stopped. Don't tell me you are touching your heart now. I'm not as sentimental as you two. I have a job to perform" those were his last words to them before he climbed down the building's ladder.

"What are we going to do now?" Reno paced around nervously.

"Well have to tell the boss our version first" Rude said "Let's go!"

"Wait! I want to see if they kiss!" cried Reno with a grin and took the binoculars "our buddy's finally getting lucky!"

Rude reached out and snatched the artifact out of Reno's hands. "Come on!"

"But, but, but Rude!" Reno whined.

"Reno!" the bald man called in a low tone.

The red head sighed disappointed and followed his partner.

"oh, I'm sorry" – Reno said as if realizing something "You did liked the girl"

"Shut up, Reno!" – Rude growled.

He slowly lifted his arms and put them around her. Taking in the warmth of her embrace, feeling as if a miracle was about to should tell her… but then her words shocked him:

"And it is because I want you to take your chance at life that I will go away."

"Leave? Why?" He asked, taken aback.

Jenn pulled away and sat before him again, a distressed look on her face.

"Rude and Reno showed up at the bar a few days ago. I can't put all of you in danger again. They suspect who I am. I tried my best to pretend I didn't know them, but I won't fool them forever" she said worriedly.

"Will you be always running away from Shin-Ra?" he asked.

"I guess there's no other way" She said sadly.

"No!" Vincent said fiercely.

"I don't want to go, but I will protect you and our friends at any cost. I want to let you live in peace, rather that starting the nightmare again" she explained "I can't do this to you! You deserve a new, peaceful life and leaving is my way of giving it to you! I… I'm sorry I came, I was so stupid! I could only think of…"

'You' she was going to say, but she couldn't finish.

"No!" he said again "I won't let you go again. I won't lose you. I… " he hesitated, he couldn't say it. He just looked at her, searching her eyes. Then he turned his gaze away and remained silent.

How could he pretend to love and be loved by her? He thought he would be ready to take her hands and tell her his feelings if he ever saw her again. But when the moment came, he realized his guilt was too big, his past had a vice like grip around his throat and he retreated, feeling unworthy.

Jenn didn't know what to say as she heard Vincent almost speak feelings for her for the first time. Hope made her heart skip a beat. Did he felt the same for her after all? He looked at her with a glow in his crimson eyes, but then he didn't say anything else, the light in his eyes dimmed and died. She thought about his promise to protect her. He was only keeping that promise. Hope vanished.

"Oh, I know… your promise" she said.

"I will keep it. I will protect you. From all, even… from myself." he replied slowly.

"I will not be a burden for you." she said "You do not have to protect me anymore. Please, don't hold that promise any longer."

Her heart was breaking again, even more painfully now that she knew from Vincent himself that he had been in love with somebody else and he still was. He was still hoping to find that other woman, Lucrecia. Jenn understood now that was the reason he didn't return her feelings.

Lucrecia was probably a beautiful, loving woman. She was not a monster like Jenn; and being ageless, she would be able to remain by Vincent's side forever.

On his part, Vincent felt terrible. He had been about to say that he felt something for the girl before him. That he cared, that he liked her, that he wanted her. But fear took hold of his heart and choked his words before he could utter them. He knew she was hurt again, but it was better she didn't know. He thought he was not worth her love. He would protect her from the beast within him.

Vincent saw her cross her arms and shiver from the cold. He was reluctant to let her go and he longed to feel her close to him. At least they could enjoy each other's company for a while, before fate set them apart again; so, he motioned for her to come closer to him and he shared his cloak to keep her warm as she sat next to him.

She leaned on him and stroked his hair out of his face.

"It's no use doing that" he said.

"What?"

"My hair, it's untamable" Vincent said in a monotone. She chuckled softly.

"It is not funny" he grunted, a bit embarrassed as he realized that he had made an unintended joke about himself. But he loved to hear her laugh.

She smiled and kept stroking his raven bangs of hair out of his face. Then she tried to undo his red bandanna.

"Don't do that" He said and took her hands to stop her.

"I want to see your face…" she said softly "at least let me see you this one time. You already saw Jenova, it is only fair."

"But I…" he didn't say anything else and let go of Jenn's hands.

He could tell that she meant she wanted to see him as he really was, his real face, but Vincent was still afraid she might turn away from him. Hearing the story and seeing the beast were two different things. Yet, he understood she had the right to make a choice, he wasn't going to lie to her. He couldn't.

She gently took his bandanna off.

"How did you get this scar?" she asked him as she traced with her finger the long white scar on Vincent's right temple.

"I tried to shoot myself, but I can't die… or maybe I was just too scared to aim right." He admitted, ashamed.

"I understand." She paused "I was too scared to push my sword thru my heart." She confessed.

He closed his eyes, his hearth throbbing painfully as the chains from the past that tightly held him, gave away a few inches.

She smiled and leaned on him. She rested her head on his shoulder and let her true essence flow freely. They were soon inside a ball of blue flames that licked at their bodies without burning them.

Vincent felt her energy pulsing through his own body. It was terrible, but very warm and gentle at the same time. He slowly put an arm around her.

Jenn's power pulsed with her heartbeat in expanding waves, blowing flowers all over, taking the petals up and then letting them fall, like a rain of faded colors.

He had yearned for so long to be loved, but he didn't admit it, because he despised himself. Yet, this woman was holding to her not only him, but all what he was; all that he loathed.

The chains within him snapped loose and Jenn's blue flames acquired blood red hues from Vincent's essence mingling with hers.

Jenn could feel Vincent's monstrous entity inside him. It was darkness too deep, a bottomless abyss instead of a soul. It was also a menacing and savage creature; revolving restlessly, like a caged beast. The beast screamed out, attacking anything that came near, like an enraged, wounded animal. It pained her to feel him, see him like that in her mind.

The beast turned to her, but didn't attack. It seemed to be sensing Jenn, uneasy before an all new feeling; ready to fight, but also willing to accept a kind touch.

The beast had been longing to find peace; and little by little, was letting itself be sensed and soothed.

"I feel somewhat lighter," Vincent whispered after a long silence "As if everything were fading away."

Jenn thought that this was the last time she would see him. So, better go without regrets. She didn't want to live with the regret of not telling Vincent how she felt. So she gathered all her courage and spoke, feeling her heart become instantly lighter.

"I love you, Vincent" she told him "I love you entirely as you are; what you are… man and beast"

Vincent felt like something wanted to burst out of his chest. He had to say it, he had to tell her… he opened his eyes and turned to face Jenn, but his eyes widened in alarm as he realized he was looking into ice-blue orbs, in a face framed in silver white hair.

"Pull your power back!" he exclaimed "somebody could see you!"

Almost immediately, Jenn's power receded and she was back to being Terry. The petal rain ceased as well, and the night was ordinary once more.

"Do you think somebody saw us?" She asked in concern.

"I don't know, but it's better for you not to show your power" he said, scanning their surroundings.

Terry straightened her back and looked around too, but she could see or sense nobody near. Then, she looked up at the sky.

The sun was about to come up and the shadows were being chased away. Color filled the panorama with glorious bursts of gold.

"See that?" she asked him as they sat concealed under his cloak from the cool dawn. "That is the gate to our new lives opening before us."

Lifting his gaze to the heavens, he took in all the beauty of the dawning skies and for a moment, he was able to forget his burdens.

"Maybe… finally…" he whispered.

But still, that could mean new lives forever away from each other.

"Terry, are you feeling ok?" Tifa asked as she watched her friend overfilling a glass, staring into the void.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I guess I'm a bit distracted today" she excused herself, reaching out for a drying towel.

"What's with that dreamy look on your face?" the bar lady asked.

Terry laughed nervously and fumbled for an answer, but she was saved by their favorite customer.

"Hey, pretty thing! Hello, cutie pie!" he greeted the ladies and sat at his usual spot at the bar.

"Oh, it's you." Tifa said in a sigh, but then she smiled mischievously and told him, "How did you call me again?"

"Pretty thing! You are the prettiest thing in this ol' boring town…" he went on as Tifa kept smiling wickedly at him.

"Wait a sec… you are not smiling at me…" he soon realized "Oh, no. Don't tell me he's standing behind me."

Tifa crossed her arms and nodded.

The man winced and turned slowly, to find a stern looking Cloud right behind him, his bright shappire eyes boring down on him.

The man's cigarette fell from his mouth.

"What do you want with my girl?" Cloud said gruffly.

"I just remembered that I had to do something" he said quickly and scurried away.

Cloud huffed and moved his head as he approached Tifa.

"I love it when you do that" Tifa said leaning over the counter to kiss Cloud.

"You are early today, Cloud" Terry pointed out.

"I have no more deliveries for the rest of the evening" he explained "and I had no better place to go"

Tifa and Cloud smiled at each other. "I guess I'll have to share your attention" he said to his girl.

"As a matter of fact you don't." Terry told him "Tifa is taking the evening off, so she's all yours, buster."

"Are you sure?" Tifa asked a bit worried "There are many customers today; you think you can handle it alone?"

"Don't worry, Tifa. I'll be fine." Terry winked at the couple "You deserve to have more time together."

"Thank you so much, Terry! You are the best!" Tifa exclaimed cheerfully and dashing around the counter, she hauled Cloud out of the tavern.

"Thanks Terry!" he managed to say as he was being dragged out by his girlfriend.

Soon, she could hear Cloud's Fenrir motorcycle roaring away.

"Time to work hard!" she tried to cheer herself "I have a life to start… and these are my last moments here at home."

She would miss everybody so badly she could hardly bear it.

_Oh, I am what I am,_

_I'll do what I want_

_But I can't hide.*_

The evening didn't go by peacefully.

Terry had been doing a pretty good job keeping up with all the people at the tavern.

Suddenly, the door busted open and a man in a well known red cloak rushed up to her. He looked worried. He went around the counter and took her by the arm, almost hauling her to the back.

"Vincent!" she exclaimed "What is happening?"

"I saw some Shin-Ra agents coming this way." He said in a low voice and looked back at the door.

"They must be Rude and Reno. I'll handle them as I did last time. Don't worry." She assured him.

"This time Rufus tagged along" Vincent informed.

"Rufus Shin-Ra!" she gasped. "This is not good at all…" she paced nervously.

"I will protect you. I won't let them take you again" he said.

"No. They will know it's me if you do that. They still have doubts about my identity, so we have to be careful. I know we could wipe them all in a blink, but I don't want any more bloodshed. Let's play to pretend, just a bit more… if it doesn't work, I'll have no other choice…" Vincent knew she meant killing everybody as he looked into her pained expression. He would never allow her to stain her hands with blood. If things got ugly, he would kill everybody, he would carry the sin in her place.

"I'll take them on" – he said.

"No. Let's do this" and she quickly explained to him what she would do.

Vincent looked at her, surprised and concerned by her risky plan. But he decided to agree to it; although his nervousness gnawed at his insides, threatening to eat him alive.

The Shin-Ra agents didn't take long to arrive. Reno opened the door as Rufus rolled in, in his automatic wheelchair followed closely by his bodyguards Rude and Tseng.

Vincent was sitting on a high chair at the far corner of the bar, while Terry took care of the customers as always.

She looked up and greeted the newly arrived party.

"Rude! Reno! I'm glad to see you again, and I see you brought some friends, too. That's great, what's going to be?"

"Cut the crap, Jenn" Rufus shouted from his wheelchair "you are going to pay for what you did to me. I won't be so kind to you this time!"

She looked at him wide eyed "I, I'm sorry, sir… but I don't know what you are talking about."

"Stop pretending!" he said annoyed "My two agents here identified you" he gestured to Reno and Rude, who stood on either side of his wheelchair.

"Hey, you can't come in and yell at cutie pie like that! What's your problem?" The man who always teased the girls was now trying to defend Terry.

"You are our problem if you don't get out of the way" Rude said, pulling swiftly his gun out and aiming at the man.

Terry gasped and stepped back. As the situation got dangerous, the people quickly exited the bar, dropping glasses and chairs; leaving the place empty except for the Turks, Vincent, Terry and their regular annoying customer.

"Please, don't shoot!" Terry pleaded "Your men came for a drink and Tifa introduced them to me, but I'd never seen them before…"

"My patience is very short lately, Jenn…" Shin-Ra said menacingly, tightening his fists.

"She's not Jenn," the customer said "she is Terry and she is way prettier than Jenn! I used to see Jenn everyday and even a blind man would see the difference!"

That took everybody by surprise, especially Terry.

"We still had our doubts, boss. We didn't want to bother you until we were sure if it was Jenn or not. This man just confirmed it for us." Rude said to Rufus.

"And she didn't have a clue as to who we are, we confirmed that too." Reno added.

"Shut up!" Tseng snapped angrily "You knew it all the time and you kept the information! I found you spying on her last night!"

"You were spying on cutie pie!" the customer gasped – "shame on you!" then curiosity took the better of him "and… what was she doing?"

"Shut up, you freak!" Rude shouted readying his gun to shoot.

Terry's heart sunk to her stomach. Had they seen her flaring her power? She was terribly afraid, same as a normal girl would be at the sight of the gun.

"We wanted to make sure if it was our girl or not, buddy!" Reno snapped back at Tseng "We were following our investigation procedure and you nearly ruined it!"

"Then why ask me to keep the information too?" Tseng accused

"Because I'm not going to bring the choppers down on a look-alike! Stoopid!" Reno answered angrily, facing Tseng.

"Quiet!" Shin-Ra ordered. The agents obeyed, but Reno stuck his tongue out at Tseng, who could only glare at him.

"You are coming with us" Rufus said.

"Where are you taking cutie pie? Hey, turtle boy!" he called Vincent "Are you going to let them take the girl?" the cutomer tried to get up, but he sat down again motioned by Rude's gun.

"Why, what have I done?" Terry protested.

"Is this too little to you to forget so easily?" Rufus Shin-Ra snarled as he pulled off the white throw that covered his body.

Terry was horrified to see the pink, wrinkled new skin that spread across half his face, his hands and most of his body for sure, concealed under his white, neat suit. He had some bald spots left on his head caused by the burns.

"It was worse a couple of years ago. I've been thru a long, painful recovery and many reconstructive surgeries." He smiled evilly, madness evident in his eyes.

Terry was shocked. She hadn't seen Shin-Ra since he was taken away half-dead three years ago; she had no idea how much damage she had done to him. Part of her felt guilty and horrified, but her Jenova part said he asked for it.

"That's gotta hurt! I'm sorry for your mirror" the customer exclaimed.

Rufus gritted his teeth and growled "Shoot that bastard"

Rude pulled the trigger, but the bullet only hit a wall. Vincent had sprung from his chair and pulled the customer aside.

Tseng pulled out his gun and aimed at Vincent. Terry gave a step forward.

"Please, don't shoot, we haven't done anything…! please, don't shoot…!" she begged.

"Why don't you stop pretending!" shouted Tseng moving his aim over to Terry.

"Because she is NOT our girl, yo!" Reno shouted behind him.

As soon as Tseng aimed at her, Vincent jumped and stood between Terry and Tseng's gun, Cerberus's barrels ready to spit lead into Tseng's head.

Rude pointed now at Vincent, while Reno prepared his metal rod. The tension could be felt increasing at a deadly rate.

"I think mom's calling me" – the customer said and he scurried away, passing by the group of men that pointed at each other with huge guns.

"Finally got rid of him!" – Rufus rolled his eyes.

"Get out of the way" Rude said to Vincent "Let us make sure the girl is not our subject and we won't hurt you."

"Don't tell me you need all those guns and hit men to kidnap an innocent bar lady" Vincent accused.

"You wouldn't be here if she wasn't our subject" Tseng said.

"Well," Vincent cocked his demon gun and kept it aimed at Tseng "she is Cloud's and Tifa's friend and my friend as well. She's not Jenn, I would've known if she were."

"Precisely" Tseng said.

"What a lovely sunset!" Tifa said as she snuggled close to Cloud. They were both sitting on a park bench, watching people go by, talking and enjoying their time together.

Cloud put his arm around her and breathed in the cherry scent of her shampoo.

"Terry must be very busy at the bar right now. I feel kind of guilty for leaving her by herself with all the people." Tifa sighed.

"She said she could handle it and I know she can. I've seen her taking care of the orders and she sure is efficient. I'm glad you have her helping you out." Cloud said.

"Yeah, but… she reminds me so much about Jenn. Sometimes the resemblance is uncanny. I could swear she sounds like her. I can close my eyes and hear Jenn talking. But I know it's impossible…"

"What happened to Jenn was what she chose" Cloud said sadly "I can imagine what she was going thru when she learned what she was. You must believe she is in a better place now."

An image of Jenn smiling up at them before the explosion ran across Cloud's mind. It hurt him, but he wanted to think that Jenn was finally at peace.

"Many times I've thought what would've happened if she had survived," Tifa went on "everybody liked her, even Vincent. He had started to change, to get out of his shell. I know many horrible things happened to him, but Jenn was really helping him to leave all that finally behind."

Cloud remained silent for a moment and then held Tifa closer and whispered "Just as you helped me to let go. Sins are a heavy burden when you carry them alone. Vincent has been carrying his for far more time than I did… and then, when Jenn died…" he trailed off, and lowered his head.

"That demolished him" Tifa finished, thoughtful. "But…"

She shifted restlessly in his arms.

"Do you know if there's a place named Ayalond?" She asked at last.

Cloud tried to remember "Yes. I've never been there, but I've heard about it. Why do you ask?"

"Terry said she had met Vincent in that place. And then he said that only in Ayalond the flowers bloom under the moonlight."

"Flowers?" Cloud frowned "As far as I know, Ayalond is a frozen wasteland up north; not a single living thing survives there, it would be impossible to see flowers in that place."

"This is very strange…" Tifa mused "Vincent came as soon as I mentioned Terry to him and they both said they had met in Ayalond…"

She suddenly straightened up in the bench "How could I be so dumb!" she exclaimed.

"What are you saying Tifa?" Cloud asked, totally confused.

"Terry knowing everything about working in a tavern, Vincent showing up as soon as he knew about her, their strange conversation… Vincent knew she was alive! That red-cloaked ol' crab! Argh! He's going to deal with me for this!" – Tifa was furios, then she froze – "Oh, no…"

"What? I don't understand a thing you are saying!" Cloud replied, concerned.

"Rude and Reno showing up at the bar to meet Terry…"

"Tifa, Terry had worked at a bar before, she met Vincent somewhere when he roamed the land alone and Jenn's hair was silver, not auburn… don't torture yourself. We both wish she could be back, but she's gone. I searched among de ruins myself, there was nothing left of her."

"Because Terry IS Jenn!" Tifa almost shouted at him. "I don't know how, but it's the only possible explanation!"

"Tifa! You are overreacting. We both saw the explosion…"

"No, Cloud! It's her!" she insisted – "And Vincent knew it all the time!"

"But why did she lie to us, then?" he asked.

"I don't know!" she replied, feeling anguish rising in her "maybe she wanted to protect us from Shin-Ra… she pretended to die and then started a new life!"

"She wouldn't have come back if she wanted a new life." – Cloud said.

"Home is where the heart is. We live in Edge, this is her home… and Vincent… she even asked me about him the first day she came to my place! And I'm sure Vincent knew she was alive these last three years… and he didn't say anyhing! That old-mummy-like-wrapped-no-good-of-a-friend…!" - she seethed.

"You are scaring me…" Cloud said giving her a look.

"We have to go back to the bar!" she exclaimed standing up.

"You think Reno and Rude went to verify it was really Jenn?" Cloud was finally catching on.

"What else could they be doing there?" She asked.

"She did a pretty good job keeping her identity secret" He told Tifa as they got on Fenrir again.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Reno said "We can do this the nice way or the hard way."

The atmosphere at the tavern was tense to the point of snapping any moment like a rat trap. Tseng pointed his gun at Terry, Vincent was aiming at Tseng and Rude had his gun ready to shoot Vincent in the head.

"We'll just borrow the girl for a moment and make a little test" Reno continued "if she is not Jenova, we'll let her go. As simple as that"

Vincent lowered his gun and put it away. "You will only find that she is a regular human" he said.

Rufus motioned for Rude and Tseng put their guns away as well. Terry was still rooted to her place.

Reno advanced cautiously towards her and she tried to run away, but he easily caught her and held her so she could not escape.

"I really think she's not Jenova. She fights like a girl, no pun inteneded" He laughed.

"No time for jokes" Shinra said "bring her."

"If you harm her in any way" Vincent threatened "I will personally hunt down each one of you and make you pay"

Reno held Terry and they were all heading out when Cloud and Tifa arrived.

"Hey! Where are you taking her?" He shouted, unsheating his huge Buster Sword.

Vincent came out and stood before the agents and Rufus, facing Cloud.

"Stay out of this, Cloud" he said.

"Vincent! What's wrong with you?" Cloud shouted, bewildered.

"What do you think you are all doing?" Tifa shouted at them as well.

"Calm your friends down and everything will go nice and easy" Rude said to Vincent.

"Let them take her" Vincent told Cloud and Tifa.

"On which side are you?" Tifa shouted angrily at Vincent.

"Let her go right now!" Cloud growled and charged forward, but to everyone's surprise, it was Vincent who jumped to oppose him.

Cloud stopped his sword before it hit his friend. Vincent glared menacingly at him while Rufus was taken back to his car, followed by his agents and Reno holding Terry.

"Hey, does this bring memories of your ol' good days as a Turk, buddy?" Reno said to Vincent. That was a mistake. Fast as lightning, Vincent had his demon gun aiming at the young agent's nose.

"Never say that again" Vincent threatened in a low growl.

Reno's eyes crossed for a moment and he hurried to get in the car with the woman. The car sped away, leaving the three friends behind.

"Are you crazy?" Tifa shouted at Vincent "You just let them take her away!"

"She will be back" he said putting his gun away, trying to keep his cool before his friends, althought the beast inside him was furiously clawing to get out and kill somebody.

"How can you be so relaxed? She is Jenn, isn't she? They will start their experiments again!" Cloud faced Vincent furiously.

"We have to go get her back!" Tifa said anxiously.

"We are not doing anything if we want Jenn to come back alive" Vincent said.

Tifa and Cloud stared dumbfounded at him.

"She _is_ Jenn…" Tifa faced Vincent "you knew it was her when I mentioned her over the phone… you knew she was alive all this time, didn't you?" she accused.

"Yes" came his short answer.

"Why didn't you say something? You are our friend, she is our friend! How could keep from us something like that? Do you know how much I missed her?" she asked shouting, her eyes watering.

"She asked me to keep it a secret" – Vincent replied, turning away from Tifa, pain of his own showing.

Tifa stood speechless at his answer. Vincent continued – "She needed time and she wanted to protect us" he explained.

"But now she's in Shin-Ra's hands again thanks to you!" Cloud raged.

"It was in Jenn's plan to be taken" Vincent said "I want to go after them as much as you do, but we have to leave this to her. She is protecting her new life. If we rescue her, they will never stop pursuing her."

Cloud and Tifa were silent and pondered the possibilities. They considered the chance they had, that Jenn had, as Vincent had explained. In a twisted way, he was right.

The only way for Jenn to stay with her friends and keep on going with her life, was to demonstrate that she was not Jenn.

"But she is Jenova" Cloud remarked.

"I trust that she will find a way to come back again" Vincent stated.

And he truly wanted to believe his own words.

"We are almost there" Tseng said after they had been driving for about 30 minutes. He made a turn around a corner and stopped in front of a two story building in an area away from the city and surrounded by lush vegetation. They all got out the car and Reno, still holding Terry, led the way into it, followed closely by Shin-Ra, while Tseng and Rude closed the door behind them.

They went up the stairs into an improvised looking lab. They had some computers and other sorts of machinery Terry couldn't identify, but brought bad memories and made her feel a hollowness in the pit of her stomach.

"I just want to make sure she's Jenova" said Rufus in a low voice "we don't have the right equipment here do more. We lost everything when the energy plant was destroyed; but have enough technology to conduct a simple test that will give me the answer I want. After that, we can collect samples and cut her into pieces… for portability."

Terry shivered at his comment. In the imminent event of her death, maybe she would have to use her power after all.

She was sat on a chair while Reno kept a firm grip on her. Tseng, under the close supervision of Shin-Ra, prepared the needle and tubes they would use to collect a blood sample and start from there.

Reno and Rude eyed each other as a rubber band was tightened around the woman's left arm.

"It won't hurt if you don't squirm" said Tseng as she started to writhe when she saw the needle.

He quickly took the required sample and then proudly handed the little tube with its crimson contents to his boss. Rufus nodded at him, satisfied.

Afterwards, Rufus proceeded to one of the machines and prepared it to analyze the blood, but stopped before putting the sample in it.

"Before I forget" he said "Take our subject to the other room and tie her down. She can burn her cells at distance."

Rufus led the way as the three men conducted Terry to a metal chair and strapped her hands and ankles to it. Then, Rude put a metal band around Terry's forehead. The band had multicolored wires that ran from it to a machine nearby.

"This will register your wave patterns. If you try to use your power, you'll betray yourself. We'll make sure it's you, one way or another."

Terry was trapped. They would confirm her identity if she tried to use her power to alter the sample and if she didn't; the sample would reveal her non-human origin. Her mind raced trying to decide between her survival and her life with the people she loved.

"Tseng! Reno!" Rufus ordered "keep and eye on her"

Reno winked at Terry as he stood by the door. Tseng turned around a chair and sat in it, cowboy style; resting his arms on the chair's back.

"Just kick back and relax, baby" Reno told the girls in a relaxed tone, seeing the dismay on her face.

"Hey, don't talk to the subject!" Tseng reprimanded.

Rude and his boss returned to the first room.

"I'll run the machine for you, boss" said Rude.

"No. I want to do this personally" Rufus answered. Rude knew he had to do something quick, but he couldn't do anything as long as the man in the wheelchair had the blood sample.

He watched as Shin-Ra put the tube in the machine and set the controls, typed some parameter information and reached for the start button, but didn't push it. His hand stopped when a loud crashing noise came from the next room.

Rufus mobilized his chair immediately. The noise of a fight was becoming louder.

"That girl!" Rufus growled.

But great was his surprise when Rude busted open the door and Shin-Ra entered the room. Terry was still tied up to the chair, the metal band on her head, looking apprehensively at the two men struggling on the floor.

"Cut it out you morons!" Rufus exploded "What is this? We are in the middle of something far more important than anything you have to fight about!"

The man was breathing heavily with anger at the sight of Tseng and Reno as they got up.

"He started it!" Reno pointed a finger at the other Turk, still panting.

"You provoked me! You stuck your tongue out at me!" Tseng replied furiously.

It was a silly argument and that infuriated Rufus even more. Two of his best agents fighting like kindergaden children.

"Enough! Their boss commanded, his knukles white as he fisted his rage-trembling hads.

They kept silence. Tseng looked down, ashamed of his behavior and tried to straighten out his disheveled attire and hair.

Reno just passed a hand over his spiked red hair, shifting his weigh from one foot to the other and giving quick glances at Tseng and Rufus. He didn't try to straighten his clothes; he wouldn't look any different from usual, anyway.

Rude showed up behind Rufus after a few seconds "I'll keep an eye on the girl with Reno, boss"

"Keep an eye on Reno as well. I'll deal with both of you later" he said referring to Tseng and the red head.

The two partners stayed with the girl while the other two men returned to the lab to finish testing Terry's blood.

"Ooow!" Reno whined touching his face "I'll have a black eye tomorrow. Tseng sure has a hard fist! Ouch! Oooouch!"

Thirty minutes dragged by like tar thru a straw. Reno sat on the chair, bored to death, while Rude kept guard by the door like a soldier.

Terry hadn't moved or spoken. What Reno had said when she was tied down puzzled her, but she didn't know what to think.

She decided to wait for the results and if Rufus tried to do something to her, she could easily break free and fry them all. The metal band that registered her brain patterns and was designed to nullify Jenova's power, she knew was not enough now.

They had no idea how her powers had grown in three years, with the awakening of her genetic memory; even when she kept them at bay, deep within herself.

_I won't go._

_I won't sleep._

_I can't breathe…_

_Until you are resting here with me*_

"How long do we have to wait?" Tifa asked impatiently as she paced behind the bar.

The tavern was empty. Everybody had run for dear life when the Turks had shown up and now Tifa had closed the doors to the public so the gang could talk freely.

"I don't know" Vincent replied from his stool in the corner.

"We have to go rescue her! They could have her anywhere now!" Cloud exclaimed, giving a hard stare at Vincent.

Vincent didn't move. Terry had told him that she would handle it one way or another; and he fully trusted that she could survive using her power. But he also knew that Rufus Shin-Ra had a good foresight and was capable of anything… especially if he now wanted revenge.

"I'll tell you where she could be now," Tifa planted herself in front of Vincent "inside a glass tube with all kinds of artifacts torturing her!"

"We have to trust her" Vincent said softly but fiercely. He tightened his iron-clad left fist. "If we rescue her, Shin-Ra will never stop trying to take revenge on her. We will condemn her to run away for the rest of her life."

Tifa sighed heavily and turned away "This is driving me crazy!" she exclaimed as she sat down at a table, holding her head.

"If she doesn't show up in the next hour, I'm going out to search for her" Cloud said "And I'm going to kill all that damn bastard so she can live in peace." He readied his sword and put it in its sheath at his back.

He eyed his friend again and added, "I don't care if you come or not, Vincent. But you are not going to stop me again."

Vincent didn't say anything. He tightened his iron claw even more, until two drops of blood fell from his fist to the bar.

"This has to be wrong!"

The three of them jumped when they heard Rufus Shin-Ra shouting at the top of his lungs. "I know she's Jenova! There must be some mistake!"

Soon, Rufus was in the other room. He glared at Terry and reviewed the results from the wave pattern analyzer attached to her head.

"Nothing?" he shouted again.

Terry winced at his shouts. She had no idea of what was happening.

Tseng came walking slowly after Rufus, a sheet of paper in his hand.

"She's not her after all…" he started, confused as well.

"Give me that!" Rufus turned in his chair and tore the paper from his bodyguard's hands.

He read it over and over.

"Not a trace of anything abnormal. Not even alcohol! And she works at a tavern!"

"I don't drink" Terry muttered.

"Shut up!" Rufus snapped. He passed his hand over his patches of hair and thought for a moment.

"This says you are a regular human being" he said slowly, looking up at Terry with a twisted smile.

"I told you boss" Rude said "she's just a great look alike."

Tseng looked at him "You!" he said accusingly "you did something!"

"What are you talking about?" Rude asked with indignation.

"I'll run another test, boss" Tseng said without taking his sharp eyes off Rude "and this time I'll see if the blood came from a woman or a man."

Rufus turned his attention to Rude "If I find anything suspicious, I'll shoot the culprit myself!" he said before exiting the room after Tseng.

Reno and Rude exchanged glances. Reno swallowed hard. Terry looked from one to the other.

"Goodbye, buddy" Reno said.

Almost an hour had slowly gone by at the Seventh Heaven's tavern. The silence was tense, but nobody said a word.

Tifa was resting her head on her crossed arms over the table, her brown eyes lost in thought.

Vincent hadn't even changed position on his chair at the corner between the wall and the counter.

Cloud kept glancing at a clock on the wall, growing impatient with each second marked on the round, numberless face. He couldn't understand Vincent's way of looking at things and he was still resented because he had opposed him when the Turks were taking Jenn away. What in the world had gotten into his mind to let them take her away again?

Meanwhile, Vincent didn't even want to think. Terrible images filled his mind and painful memories assaulted him when he tried to convince himself that Jenn would be all right. He said he would always protect her, and he would fight any enemy for her; but he never thought of having to fight his own friends or worse yet… his own self.

It was taking every ounce of will in his body to stay put. He thought the same way Cloud did about going to rescue Jenn, and if Jenn didn't show up soon; Cloud would be the one unable to stop him from unleashing the raging beast inside him.

"Blood type: AB… no abnormal substances found… a regular human being. Subject's gender… female"

Tseng read aloud the main information from the paper that had just come out of the printer.

Shinra took it and read it in disbelief. Then he tore it to pieces and turned his wheelchair around, giving his back to his men.

"What do we do now, boss?" Reno asked.

"Take that wench away! Dump her in the street! Kill her! Do whatever you want!" he breathed heavily.

"Are you all right boss?" Rude inquired. He was worried about Rufus hyperventilating himself, if he kept breathing like that.

"I'm not all right!" he shouted as he took the nearest piece of equipment and smashed it against the wall.

His three agents backed away from him.

"Get that woman out of my sight and leave me alone!" he raged.

His subordinates scurried quickly away, untied Terry and Rude conducted her down the stairs and out to the road.

"Go home" he said

"You are going to shoot me as soon as I turn" Terry said

"I will shoot you if you don't go" Rude said, but his tone was not threatening at all. He had a slight smile on his lips.

She gave a few steps back, still facing Rude. The words 'thank you' formed in her lips. He pulled down his dark glasses and winked at her.

She turned and ran away, getting quickly lost from sight.

Rude watched for a while the way she had gone, taking in the cool air of the night; relief finally seeping into him.

Suddenly, a crashing noise from the second floor made him jump out of his thoughts.

"It will take a while to calm down the boss… a really long while. But," he thought "we now know for sure that Jenova is no more."

_I won't leave_

_I can't hide_

_I cannot be_

_Until you are resting here with me._

Jenn ran along the dark road to Edge in a daze. She couldn't figure out how the blood sample they had taken from her had turned out to be human.

"I couldn't use my power to burn my cells" she told herself "Shin-Ra supervised everything by himself… there was no way that…"

She stopped suddenly. "Rude was left alone in the lab for a few seconds when Reno started that silly fight" she said to herself "I don't know how, but he must've switched my sample"

The starry heavens and the moon were the only ones watching over her as she kept running like the wind along the streets as she entered the city. She was lost in her own thoughts, dreams and hopes; her feet carrying her home, as if they had a mind of their own.

Cloud jumped off his chair the second the clock marked that the hour was up.

"I'm going!" he said.

Vincent sprung from his seat as well "Stay out of this, Cloud" he said "I'll go alone. It's going to be ugly."

"If it's going to be ugly I'm going too!" Tifa joined them.

They walked out the bar and Cloud jumped on his motorcycle.

"I'll go get my truck." Tifa said.

"Wait" Vincent said as he looked ahead into the empty dark streets.

"Don't try to stop me!" Cloud warned him, a dangerous edge in his voice.

Vincent kept staring into the distance.

Tifa looked at him with curiosity "What do you see?" she asked

Vincent didn't answer. He walked ahead, slowly at first, and then he was running.

Cloud and Tifa followed and soon saw somebody else, coming towards their friend.

"It's Jenn!" Tifa exclaimed.

They saw her running to him and throwing herself into his open arms.

When Cloud and Tifa caught up with them, they were still holding each other.

Jenn pulled away from Vincent to hug Tifa and then Cloud.

"Why didn't you tell us who you were?" Tifa asked.

"I'm sorry, Tifa. I wanted so much to tell you, but I wanted to protect you all from what I am and from Shin-Ra" Jenn explained.

"Well, don't ever do that again" the other woman replied "We are your friends. We stand for each other always, no matter what happens"

The two women hugged again, laughing.

"Welcome back home, Jenn" Cloud said. Then he put a hand on Vincent's shoulder "that goes for you too, Vincent."

Vincent nodded, his somberness gone.

"Let's all go home" Jenn suggested. Everyone agreed "Oh, just one little thing," she told them "my name's Terry"

"Welcome home Terry!" Tifa cheered.

Vincent and Terry exchanged glances as they all went back to the bar.

The night was just starting, but everybody felt bright as broad daylight inside their hearts.

"Rude! Reno! What a pleasant surprise!" Tifa greeted the two men who had just sat before her at the bar "what happened to you?" she asked, looking at Reno's black eye.

"He stuck his tongue out at Tseng" Terry explained as she came around the counter carrying a tray with empty glasses.

She put it away and leaned over the bar, towards the bald man "Rude" she said "how did you… you know."

"That information is confidential" Rude answered, keeping his stern face.

Terry smiled "Thank you" she whispered and gave Rude a kiss on the cheek.

The man's face went thru all the possible shades of red.

"Hey, yo!" Reno exclaimed "I'm the one who got the black eye! No kiss for me?"

Tifa moved her head as Reno closed his eyes and puckered his lips, waiting for his 'reward'.

Terry laughed and then looked up at the door. "Vincent!" she exclaimed.

Reno opened his eyes, disappointed to see Terry going away to meet Vincent.

"Not fair!" he whined.

"Welcome to the club" a man sitting next to him said "that ol' sunnuva gun always gets the girl" and he emptied his beer mug in one gulp "How much is it, pretty thing?"

"Don't call me that name!" Tifa huffed.

"How was your day?" Terry asked Vincent.

"Making deliveries is not hard work at all, keeping that piece of junk upright is"

He replied, referring to his motorcycle.

She laughed "Well, you can always exchange it for a Chocobo" she said with a grin.

"I won't ride one of those silly birds!" he complained offended.

Just then, Cloud entered the bar.

"Come on, Vincent! Three more deliveries and we're done for today"

"I'll be waiting for you" Terry said to Vincent.

He nodded and smiled slightly; the first true smile that had come to his lips in a long, long time.

Both men turned to leave.

"Just keep an eye on your cloak," Cloud was teasing his friend as they walked out the bar "it can get caught by the wheels… then you would be in big trouble..."

Terry returned to work. She walked behind the bar to Tifa.

"You are welcome here anytime, guys." Tifa was saying to the two agents "and your drinks will be on the house… just don't abuse!" she emphasized lifting her index finger.

The red head smiled broadly at the bar lady, but his partner immediately said, "Reno can't drink. He's a designated pilot"

"Hey!" Reno protested.

"Free drinks? Now I'm jealous" the man sitting next to them sighed, letting out a puff of smoke. He paid Tifa and stood to leave "I better go home. I'm not appreciated at all in this place"

Rude looked at him thoughtfully and asked "Do I know you?"

"Beats me" the man replied and pulled his glasses out of a pocket.

"You wear glasses?" Tifa asked him in surprise.

"It's embarrassing. I can't see much beyond my nose" He put the glasses on and looked at all of them.

"Wow! You two are prettier than I thought!" He whistled at the ladies "Sorry I can't say the same about you, guys" he told Reno and Rude.

The two women laughed. Terry realized that the man had never really seen her face. That had turned to be an advantage, because he had helped to make Rufus think she wasn't Jenn.

"What's your name?" Rude inquired, studying the man's face.

"Sha Gojyo. I used to travel a lot with my friends Sanzo, Goku and Hakkai. Maybe we met someplace, sometime" he shrugged his shoulders and put his glasses back in his pocket.

Rude though for a moment "I guess I thought you were someone else" he concluded.

"Yeah, it happens a lot lately. Right cutie pie?" Gojyo said.

Terry laughed nervously "we all get confused with somebody else!"

"That thing's going to kill you!" Reno intervened, looking at the cigar in the man's mouth.

"The good die young" Gojyo said "see ya later, guys" and he walked out.

"He looks like trash!" Reno said to his partner as soon as the man had exited the bar.

Rude turned to him and gave him a look.

"What?" Reno asked, not catching on at all. The ladies laughed again.

"So, how's your boss?" Terry asked the two.

"Still mad as hell" Reno replied.

"I'm sorry for you, guys" Tifa commented.

"He resents not having the opportunity to behead Jenova himself. But he's happy with the idea that she died in the explosion." Rude explained "he'll get over his fits of rage sooner or later"

"So, how're our buddies doing now?" Reno asked after drinking from his beer.

"Vincent's a delivery boy, now" Terry answered "Cloud had to run great distances when he was alone, but now Vincent is helping him out with some of the routes"

"And we finally convinced him to move into Edge" Tifa added "or, should I say, Terry did" she gave her friend a complicity smile.

"Tifa!" Terry exclaimed.

"Well," Rude said standing up and straightening his tie "we have to go back to work."

"See you some other time, girls!" Reno winked at them.

Terry waved goodbye.

"This life is wonderful" Terry sighed.

"And this is just the beginning" Tifa smiled.

* Song: "Here with me"

Interpreted by: Sarah Brightman

Album: "La Luna"


End file.
